Due to scarcity of rainfall this cultivation time, farmers across Manipur are facing the problem of irrigation of paddy fields with almost 70 per cent of paddy land under rift, Manipur Loumee Lup president N Singhajit said on Sunday.
In view of the problem facing the farmers, Singhajit urged the state government to address the issue immediately, while briefing the media in Imphal. He said almost all paddy field owners in the state have complaints of water scarcity and lack of irrigation facilities.
A team of Manipur Loumee Lup inspected different places of dry paddy land areas as well as dams, irrigation facilities of the respective areas and found that Dolaithabi (Thoubal project) has water level of 803 metre high and could be used for irrigation, but canals are very high with water unable to flow through them.
Hence, the paddy land at Sekta, Pungdongbam, Terapur, Ahallup, Khabam, Laifam, Taretkhul located at the left side of Dolaithabi dam and Haraorou, Yumnam Patlou on the right side of the dam till Pangei paddy fields are rift, he said.
According to the chief engineer of irrigation, there are 150 minor irrigation-lift canals in Manipur but no one is seen using the facility. At Ithai Barrage, upper and lower pumps for the irrigation facility were installed but the transformer is not functioning, he informed.
The state government should not remain silent and immediate measures should be taken to solve the water shortage problem and prevent famine, he added.
Regarding fertiliser urea, Singhajit said that the problem of urea is a chronic problem of the state. This year too, unavailability of urea has become an issue and according to the state government reports, 24,000 metric tonnes of urea is required while 1412.6 metric tonnes are available in the state and 2652 metric tonnes are in transit.
“If the state government is able to transport the required urea in time, then shortage or unavailable issues will not take place”, said Singhajit and added that whatever the state government gets should be supplied in a proper chain system Only then, the issue of urea will be solved, he said.
Considering the situation, the Manipur Loumee Lup urged the state government to take up immediate measures to address the problem of shortage of water for irrigation of paddy fields and provide urea.
